Bicycle



UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

MILION WESTBROOK, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.

BICYCLE.

SPECJFIATIN forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 511,479, dated Decomber 26, 1893. Application filed September 26.1893. Serial No} 486,529. (No model.)

T0 aZZ w7wm it may concern:

l3o it known that I, MILTQN WESTBROOK, a c1t1zen 01" the Unitd Stats, residing at the city of Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalamazoo and State of Michigan, have invented certain now and nseful Improvemonts in Bicyclos, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in bicycles 'and more partcularly to the handlebars and post.

Tige objoct of my invention is to provide a post and handle bars that shall be completely adjustable, so that the rider can place the handles so that they will be in conveniont reach when he site erect in the saddlo when riding on easy roads, and so that they can be adjnsted to a snitable height and position for hoavy work as on country roads, in climbing bills or in racing.

Another socondary object is to provide a joint that can be adjnsted so that it will yield before the handle bar will bond under heaiiy work and so save damage to the machine.

I accomplish thoSe objects by the device shown in the accompanying drawix;gs, in which Figure 1, is a view of the handle bars and a portion of the post of a bicycle embodying my invention, removod from the machine. Fig. 2, shows details of all of the parts of one of the joints separated. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional viow on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 4, is a viow part-ly in section on line 4-4: of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5,. is a view on lino 4-4 of Fig. 3, showing a modified construction.

Similar lettors of reference refer to similar parts thronghot the several views.

I accomplish the objecte of my invention by means of adjustable nniversal joints in oach handlo bar and in the post of a bicycle.

In the drawings, A, A, are the handle bars and Bis the post. The nniversal joints in oach are the same and are constructed by dividing the handlo bar orpost as the case may be, expanding a portion into a hall socket 0,"

0 pen at the ond and forming the othor port1on 1nto a hall that oxactly fits t-he socket. The Walls of the socket are thin enough to be slightly flexible and deop narrow notches are out from the front back to the middle of each socket. The outer end of the socket is expandod a little so that a creaso or groovo is fOrmed to rocoive and rotain the band E which is drawn tight around the socket by means of the screw a. VVhen the joint is fitted carefnlly'by grinding or otherwise the screw a can be tightenod so that the handle bar A will bond before the joint will yield at all.

In Fig. 5 a modified form of my improved joint is usod. The socket 0 is notchod the same as before and screw throads are out on the front part. The band E is made in the form of a'ring With screw thrcads ont inside and is scrowed onto the front of the socket and tightons the joint in that way.

I dosire to say that othor means of tightening the joint may be employed but I have shown the most approvod means.

7 With the post and handle bar constructed as I have shown it will be readily seon that tho post can be tipped forward and back and socured and that the handles can be bout forwaLrd and back or up and down or can be twistod in the socket to any position desired and then be secnred thero. It will be roadily seon that the brake rods of a bicycle can be adjusted in this same way so that no other special change will be required inthoir construction.

Having thns described my invention, what I daim, and desire to secnre by Lotters Patont, is 4 1. A bicycle with its post and handle bars oach containing an adjustable nniversal joint, composod or socket 0, ball D and securing baud E, snbstantially as described for the pnrposo specified.

2. A bicycle with its post and handle bars 5. In a bicycle the handle bars each con- In witness whereof I have hereunto set my taining an adjustable universal joint for the hand and seal in the presence of two witpurpose specified. n asses.

6. In a. bicycle the handle bars in combiner MILTON WESTBROOK. [L. S.]

5 tion with a post containing a universal joint Witnesses:

composed of the socket 0, the bail D and the C. E. WESTBROOK,

baud E for the purpose specified. E. S. R005. 

